Material-handling apparatus



March 26, 1963 c. w. BOPP 3,082,889

MATERIAL-HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 14, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V ENTOR. C. W. BOPP ATTORNEY March 26, 1963 c. w. BOPP MATERIAL-HANDLINGAPPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 14, 1959 ATTORNEY United StatesPatent Ofifice V amass Patented Mar. 26, 1963 s,es2,ss9MATERIAL-HANDLING APPARATUS Cecil W. Bopp, Waterloo, Iowa, assignor toBopp Mfg. Inc, Waterloo, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Filed Dec. 14,1959, Ser. No. 859,408 2 (Jlaims. (Cl. 214-75 This invention relates tomaterial-handling apparatus and more particularly to a specialized typeof universally mounted vehicle-carried apparatus for handling buildingmaterial such as concrete blocks and the like.

"It has heretofore been proposed to mount a conventional fiat-bedvehicle with a mast on which is mounted a boom capable of swinging abouta horizontal axis. The boom carries a lift fork for movement lengthwiseof the boom and for adjustment vertically, all properly coordinated andcontrolled to facilitate the handling of concrete blocks used in thebuilding industry. Apparatus of this type has been relativelycommercially successful but some limitations on the use thereof havearisen because of the inability of prior structures to operate throughthe desired range, This is particularly evident in cases in whichexcavations and the like are relatively deep, or in which Walls becomerelatively high, because in the past the height of the mast hasdetermined the height to which the load may be lifted, or, conversely,the depth to which the load may be lowered, as from an embankment intoan excavation or hollow.

According to the present invention, apparatus of the characterpreviously known has been considerably improved by the provision ofmeans mounting the boom on the mast for swinging about a horizontal axisin addition to its swinging about a vertical axis. The boom is providedwith power-operated means for changing its angle relative to thehorizontal. This, in combination with the means whereby the lift fork ismounted for movement lengthwise of the boom renders the boomsubstantially universal in operation and application. The power-operateddevices are preferably hydraulic and are coordinated with the otherhydraulic devices that are used for the purpose of swinging the boomabout its vertical axis, for moving the fork lengthwise of the boom, andfor raising and lowering the fork. The invention features the provisionof a simplified design enabling the conversion of existing structures toincorporate the novel swingability of the boom about a horizontal axisin combination with its swinging about a vertical axis, along with thenovel functions obtained because of the movement of the fork-carryingmeans or trolley lengthwise of the boom.

The foregoing and other important objects and desirable featuresinherent in and encompassed by the invention wil become apparent aspreferred embodiment thereof is disclosed, by way of example, in theensuing description and accompanying sheets of drawings, the figures ofwhich are described below.

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, with portions broken away, showinga typical installation of a truckmounted loader of the characterreferred to.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view, with portions broken away, of the same.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a schematic diagram of a typical hydraulic circuit forcontrolilng the several hydraulic motors.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view showing some of the possibilitiescapable of achievement by the swingable boom.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 66 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a schematic diagram of the cable and sheave arrangement formoving the fork carrying trolley.

FIGURE 9 is a schematic illustration of the cable and sheave means foradjusting the fork vertically.

In the environment chosen for illustration, the numeral 10 representsthe bed of a conventional motor truck. In broken lines there areillustrated, at 12, a plurality of cubes of concrete blocks. As is knownto those skilled in the art, the cube of blocks is made up of aplurality of blocks arranged in layers or tiers and conventionallyhandled in manufacture by known palleting means. Blocks of this natureare used in the foundations and walls of certain types of buildings.

According to one preferred installation of materialhandling apparatus, atruck such as that shown is modified by the addition thereto ofload-handling means comprising, in part, a rigid supporting structure inthe form of a pedestal 14 mounted on and rising from the bed 10. Thepedestal comprises a central member in the form of a hollow or tubularcolumn 16 terminating at an upper end 18 from which braces 2d extendlaterally and forwardly. In the application of the structure to thetruck bed, a portion of the bed is cut out, at least to the extent ofproviding an opening 22 with which the lower end of the column 16 is invertical register. This enables the mounting in the column 16 of avertical spindle or mast 24 which rises to an upper end 26 spaced abovethe upper end 18 of the column 16 and which has a lower end 28 providedwith a sprocket 39 about which is wrapped a chain 32 that has itsopposite ends connected respectively to a pair of two-way hydraulicmotors 34. The motors are mounted in any suitable manner beneath the bedof the truck and are anchored thereon so that selective application offluid pressure to the motor rotates the sprocket, and consequently thespindle 24, in opposite directions about the vertical axis of thespindle and column. The truck power plant (not shown) may drive asuitable pump P which supplies a valve V which in turn isfluid-connected to the motors 34. Any type of connection may be used.That shown is a parallel connection. For example, fluid supplied to oneend of one of the motors operates to retract the piston therein andfluid exhausted from the other end is led to the opposite end of theother motor as the piston in that other motor extends, with the resultthat the chain 32 transmits forces capable of rotating the sprocket 3Gand spindle 24. As indicated, any other form of means may be utilizedfor turning the spindle about its upright axis.

Suitable bearings, not important here, journal the spindle 24 in thecolunm .16 so that the spindle is capable of carrying at its upper end26 a relatively long normally horizontally positioned boom 36. In itstransport position, the boom may be supported at its forward or free endby suitable structure designated generally by the numeral 38 and notimportant here except as representative of any form of means that couldbe used. When the boom is to be swung about the vertical axis of thecolumn, along with the spindle 24, the structure 38 is, of course,released. The mounting of the rear end of the boom 3d on the upper endof the spindle 24 is best illus trated in FIGURE 3, wherein it will beseen that the upper end 26 of the spindle is reinforced by the provisionthereon of suitable bearings 40 coaxial on a transverse horizontal axis,which bearings receive a transverse pivot shaft 42. In the particulararrangement shown, the boom extends rearwardly beyond the axis of thepivot shaft 42 so as to include rigidly therein a rear lever arm portion44, and the immediate portion of the boom forwardly of the pivot shaft42 may be regarded as another lever arm portion 4-6. These lever armportions are appropriately interconnected with mechanism to be presentlydescribed for selectively holding the boom in its horiaosasso pivotshaft 42, as indicated in broken lines in FIGURES 1 and 5.

For this purpose, the spindle 24 has rigidly thereon anchor meansincluding front and rear apertured cars 43 and 50. These arediametrically opposed as respects the axis of the spindle 24 and liegenerally respectively below the lever arm portions 46 and 44. A firstforceexerting device, in the form of a hydraulic rain orcylinder-and-piston assembly 52 is arranged between the anchor lug 4Sand the lever arm portion 46, the cylinder being connected to the latterat 54 and the piston being connected to the former at 56. A second andsimilar device in the form of a second hydraulic ram 58 has its cylinderconnected at 60 to the lever arm portion 44 and further has its pistonconnected at 62 to the other anchor lug i). On the basis of the positionshown in full lines in FIGURE 1, it will be evident that fluid suppliedto the motor 58 to contract or retract same will cause the ram to pulldownwardly on the lever arm portion 44, thus swinging the boom 36upwardly about the axis of the pivot shaft 42. To augment the action ofthe ram or motor 53, the ram and the other ram 52 are connected togetherhydraulically so that as the ram 53 is contracted, the ram 52 isexpanded or extended. In the range of operations for the apparatus towhich it is normally put, it is sufi'icient that the boom 36 beswingable about the axis of the shaft 42 between the horizontal positionshown and any one of a plurality of upward positions. it is found that avertical range on the order of 45-60 to the horizontal will accomplishthe necessary functions and give the apparatus adequate flexibility. Theschematic diagram in FIGURE 4 shows the connections of the rams S2 and58 to a valve V, which is suitably connected to the previously describedpump P. The valves V and V; are connected in the circuit so that each isindependently operable apart from the other, the two valves affordingcontrol mechanisms for the two power means thus far described; namely,the means 34 and the means 52-58. In view of the fact that thehorizontal position as shown in full lines in the drawing is sullicientfor the boom 36, the size and stroke of the ram 52 is such that when itbottoms it determines a lower limit on movement of the boom 36. Ifdesired, additional stops could be provided.

In the prior art, it is known to provide the boom 36, or its equivalent,with means for carrying a load-handling fork, here designated generallyby the numeral 64. Such forks are customarily provided with normallyhorizontal tines, as at 66 here, which penetrate the aperturesconventionally formed in the blocks that are cubed in the cubes 12.Since forks of the general character illustrated are known, detaileddescription is not needed. Sufiice it to know, however, that the fork istypically provided at its upper end with a sheave 68 which is suspendedin the loop of a cable 76'. As best shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, the boom36 is made up of a pair of inwardly facing channels which afford a trackfor the mounting thereon for movement lengthwise thereof of a carriageor trolley 72. This trolley is provided with small rollers 74- whichride in the track afforded by the boom 36 and is additionally providedwith a pair of pulleys or sheaves 76 over which opposite runs of thecable 70 are trained. The forward run of the cable 70' may be anchoredat'78 to a forward portion of the boom 36, and the other run is trainedabout a plurality of sheaves 80 and 82 and ultimately anchored at 84 toa rear portion of the boom. The sheaves 8d arecarried on a common shaft,as at 86, and thesheaves 82 are carried likewise on a common sraft 88which is in turn mounted on a yoke that is connected to a piston 90 of ahydraulic ram 92. The opposite end of the ram 92 is appropriatelyanchored to an outer portion of the boom 36, as at 94, and the shaft 86for the sheaves 3t: is journaled in an appropriate bracket at 96 so thatwhen the ram is extended and contracted, force will be applied to thecable 79 for raising and lowering the fork sheave 68 and consequentlyfor raising and lowering the fork 64 suspended thereby. The cable andsheave arrangement affords the necessary multiplication of force tohandle the relatively heavy loads encountered. During raising andlowering of the fork, the carriage or trolley 72 may remain stationary.The ram 92 may be controlled by a valve V (FIGURE 4) which, like thevalves already described, is independently operative to represent acontrol mechanism independent of the others and controlling its ownpower-operated device 92.

The position of the trolley or carriage 72 lengthwise of the boom 36 isunder the control of additional control means for operating apower-operated device, here a fourth hydraulic ram 93. As best seen inFIGURE 2, this ram is located intermediate the side members of the boom36 and the cylinder of the ram is anchored to the boom in anyappropriate manner, the piston of the ram is anchored to the boom andthe cylinder of the ram carries a sheave 100 about which a cable 162 istrained. The anchor for the piston also includes a sheave 164 and onerun of the cable is trained additionally about this sheave and isanchored at 106 to any appropriate portion of the boom (FIGURE 8). Thesheave 16-!- is of the multiple type so that the cable may be trainedthereabout a number of times, and the cable ultimately extends to theforward end of the boom Where it is trained about another sheave 198,thence back about the multiple sheave 1M and back to aforward anchor 110on the boom. A portion of the cable intermediate the sheaves 10 andltlti is fixed in any suitable manner to the carriage 72, as shown at112. Hence, extension and retraction of the ram 98 will cause thetrolley or carriage 72 to move lengthwise of the boom. It will beunderstood that the diamensional characteristics of the cable and sheavearrangements described for both the fork and trolley are such that thedesired range of movement can be accomplished, due regard being had tothe fact that FIGURES 8 and 9 are schematic. The ram 98 is under controlof a valve V (FIGURE 4). Here again, the valve V is operativeindependently of the other valves already described.

In the use and operation of the apparatus, the mechanism may be utilizedto load the cubes 12 on the bed 10 of the truck. In transport, the boom36 is moved to its horizontal position as shown in ful llines in FIGURES1 and 5 and is releasably retained by the boom lock 38. The fork isconventionally stored in one of the cubes by inserting its tines 66 inthe lowermost tier or layer of blocks, and the cables 7t) and 102 .aretightened to an extent sufficient to retain the fork in place. When the.site is reached, the boom lock 38 is released and the control mechanismis operated to achieve the process of unloading the cubes 12 from thetruck. For example, 1n a normal situation, the cable 70 may be tensionedto lift the fork-engaged cube 12 from the bed of the truck. Since thetrolley motor 98 will be hydraulically locked, the trolley will be fixedin position so that the cable 70 may be operated to react about thesheaves 76 to raise and lower the fork sheave 68. When the cube is freefrom the truck, the motors 34 may be operated to swing the boom 36 inthe appropriate direction. When the boom attains its proper positionangularly about its upright axis, the application of fluid pressure tothe motors 34 may be stopped, thus hydraulically locking the boom IIIthat position. The fork motor 92 may now be hydraulically locked and thevalve V operated to cause the motor 93 to move the trolley lengthwise ofthe boom in the desired direction. When theproper radius or reach hasbeen attained, the fork motor 92 may be operated to raise or lower thefork, and its load of blocks, to the desired position.

In those cases Where the vertical range exceeds the length of the cable70, the motors 52 and 58 may be operated to tilt the boom 36 upwardlyabout the transverse axis of the shaft 42, thus increasing the range orreach of the .apparatus. The mounting of the boom 36 as described ismore than a simple derrick, because of the movability of the carriage ortrolley 72 lengthwise thereof. FIGURE 5 illustrates that the carriagemay be moved completely to the rear so as to position the fork 64 in alocation where it will engage the cube 12 next forwardly adjacent to thepedestal 14. The boom may then be elevated to the position shown inbroken lines and the fork 64 may be run out to the end, as also shown inbroken lines. In a typical derrick situation, the only way that the fork64 could reach the cube illustrated next adjacent to the pedestal 14would be to swing the derrick to its extreme upward position and then toallow the fork to descend. In the present case, the fork is enabled topick up the cube in question and may thereafter move it to any desiredposition within the reach of the universally mounted boom.

The addition of the boom-tilting rams 52 and 58 to the structure isextremely simple yet the functions are of substantial significance,because the over-all flexibility of the apparatus is tremendouslyincreased. The design is such that the rams may be readily added toexisting structures to convert same to the universal type boom disclosedherein. Features and advantages other than those categoricallyenumerated will readily occur to those versed in the art, as will manymodifications and alterations in the preferred embodiments set forth,all of which may be achieved without departure from the spirit and scopeof the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a motor vehicle having a load bed, mechanism forhandling concrete blocks and the like, comprising: a pedestal elementhaving means rigidly attaching same to the vehicle, said element risingfrom said bed as a hollow column having a terminal top end, and said bedhaving an opening therein in vertical register with the lower end ofsaid element; an upright spindle element journaled in the pedestalelement to turn about the axis of said column and having .a lower endbelow the bed and an upper end above the top end of the column; anormally horizontally positioned boom of fixed length having one endproximate to and its other end remote from the upper end of the spindleelement, said proximate end including lever arm portions lengthwisethereof and rigid therewith and extending respectively to opposite sidesof the spindle element; pivot means connecting said proximate end of theboom to the upper end of the spindle element on an axis transverse tothe length of the boom and intermediate said lever arm portions; anchormeans on the spindle element intermediate the boom and the top end ofthe pedestal element and including a pair of motor mounts indiametrically opposed relation at opposite sides of the spindle elementto lie respectively generally below the lever arm portions; a pair ofselectively expansible and contractible fluid motors connectedrespectively between the mounts and the respective lever arm portions;controllable fluid pressure means connected to and for selectivelyexpanding one motor while contracting the other to tilt the boom up anddown about said pivot means; first power means connected to the. lowerend of the spindle element beneath the bed for turning the spindleelement and boom about the axis of the spindle element; .a carriagecarried by and for movement selectively back and forth lengthwise of theboom through a range of positions including one terminal positionclosely adjacent to the spindle and another terminal position at theremote end of the boom; second power means for moving the carriage; aloadhandling fork vertically adjustably carried by the carriage at anyof said carriage positions; third power means for adjusting the fork;and first, second and third control means independent of each other andof said controllable means and operative singly and in combination withsaid controllable means for selectively operating the controllable meansand the first, second and third power means, respectively to securevarious combinations of boom tilting, spindle turning, carriage movementand fork adjustment.

2. In combination with a motor vehicle having a load bed, mechanism forhandling concrete blocks and the like, comprising: a pedestal elementrigidly attached to the vehicle and rising from said bed to a terminaltop end; an upright spindle element journaled on the pedestal element toturn about a vertical axis .and having an upper end above the top end ofthe pedestal element; a normally horizontally positioned boom of fixedlength having one end proximate to and its other end remote from theupper end of the spindle element, said proximate end including lever armportions lengthwise thereof and rigid therewith and extendingrespectively to opposite sides of the spindle element; pivot meansconnecting said proximate end of the boom to the upper end of thespindle element on .an axis transverse to the length of the boo-m andintermediate said lever arm portions; anchor means on the spindleelement intermediate the boom and the top end of the pedestal elementand including a pair of motor mounts in diametrically opposed relationat opposite sides of the spindle element to lie respectively generallybelow the lever arm portions; a pair of selectively expansible andcontractible fluid motors connected respectively between the mounts andthe respective lever arm portions; controllable fluid pressure meansconnected to and for selectively expanding one motor while contractingthe other to tilt the boom up and down about said pivot means; firstpower means connected to and for turning the spindle element about itsvertical axis; a carriage carried by and for movement selectively backand forth lengthwise of the boom through a range of positions includingone terminal position closely adjacent to the spindle and anotherterminal position at the remote end of the boom; second power means formoving the carriage; a load-handling fork vertically adjustably carriedby the carriage at any of said carriage positions; third power means foradjusting the fork; and first, second and third control meansindependent of each other and of said controllable means and operativesingly and In combination with said controllable means for selectivelyoperating the controllable means and the first, second and third powermeans, respectively to secure various combinations of boom tilting,spindle turning, carriage movement and fork adjustment.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,755,939 Rush July 24, 1956 2,772,789 Hussong Dec. 4, 1956 2,858,944Hutchinson Nov. 4, 1958 2,919,036 Raymond Dec. 29, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS298,837 Great Britain Oct. 18, 1928

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A MOTOR VEHICLE HAVING A LOAD BED, MECHANISM FORHANDLING CONCRETE BLOCKS AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING: A PEDESTAL ELEMENTHAVING MEANS RIGIDLY ATTACHING SAME TO THE VEHICLE, SAID ELEMENT RISINGFROM SAID BED AS A HOLLOW COLUMN HAVING A TERMINAL TOP END, AND SAID BEDHAVING AN OPENING THEREIN IN VERTICAL REGISTER WITH THE LOWER END OFSAID ELEMENT; AN UPRIGHT SPINDLE ELEMENT JOURNALED IN THE PEDESTALELEMENT TO TURN ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID COLUMN AND HAVING A LOWER ENDBELOW THE BED AND AN UPPER END ABOVE THE TOP END OF THE COLUMN; ANORMALLY HORIZONTALLY POSITIONED BOOM OF FIXED LENGTH HAVING ONE ENDPROXIMATE TO AND ITS OTHER END REMOTE FROM THE UPPER END OF THE SPINDLEELEMENT, SAID PROXIMATE END INCLUDING LEVER ARM PORTIONS LENGTHWISETHEREOF AND RIGID THEREWITH AND EXTENDING RESPECTIVELY TO OPPOSITE SIDESOF THE SPINDLE ELEMENT; PIVOT MEANS CONNECTING SAID PROXIMATE END OF THEBOOM TO THE UPPER END OF THE SPINDLE ELEMENT ON AN AXIS TRANSVERSE TOTHE LENGTH OF THE BOOM AND INTERMEDIATE SAID LEVER ARM PORTIONS; ANCHORMEANS ON THE SPINDLE ELEMENT INTERMEDIATE THE BOOM AND THE TOP END OFTHE PEDESTAL ELEMENT AND INCLUDING A PAIR OF MOTOR MOUNTS INDIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED RELATION AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SPINDLE ELEMENTTO LIE RESPECTIVELY GENERALLY BELOW THE LEVER ARM PORTIONS; A PAIR OFSELECTIVELY EXPANSIBLE AND CONTRACTIBLE FLUID MOTORS CONNECTEDRESPECTIVELY BETWEEN THE MOUNTS AND THE RESPECTIVE LEVER ARM PORTIONS;CONTROLLABLE FLUID PRESSURE MEANS CONNECTED TO AND FOR SELECTIVELYEXPANDING ONE MOTOR WHILE CONTRACTING THE OTHER TO TILT THE BOOM UP ANDDOWN ABOUT SAID PIVOT MEANS; FIRST POWER MEANS CONNECTED TO THE LOWEREND OF THE SPINDLE ELEMENT BENEATH THE BED FOR TURNING THE SPINDLEELEMENT AND BOOM ABOUT THE AXIS OF THE SPINDLE ELEMENT; A CARRIAGECARRIED BY AND FOR MOVEMENT SELECTIVELY BACK AND FORTH LENGTHWISE OF THEBOOM THROUGH A RANGE OF POSITIONS INCLUDING ONE TERMINAL POSITIONCLOSELY ADJACENT TO THE SPINDLE AND ANOTHER TERMINAL POSITION AT THEREMOTE END OF THE BOOM; SECOND POWER MEANS FOR MOVING THE CARRIAGE; ALOADHANDLING FORK VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLY CARRIED BY THE CARRIAGE AT ANYOF SAID CARRIAGE POSITIONS; THIRD POWER MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE FORK;AND FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD CONTROL MEANS INDEPENDENT OF EACH OTHER ANDOF SAID CONTROLLABLE MEANS AND OPERATIVELY SINGLY AND IN COMBINATIONWITH SAID CONTROLLABLE MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY OPERATING THE CONTROLLABLEMEANS AND THE FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD POWER MEANS, RESPECTIVELY TOSECURE VARIOUS COMBINATIONS OF BOOM TILTING, SPINDLE TURNING, CARRIAGEMOVEMENT AND FORK ADJUSTMENT.